STAFF last night reacted with shock and anger at plans to close a rehab ward for elderly patients in Ellesmere Port.

Employees at Ellesmere Port Hospital found out last week the Primary Care Trust plans to shut the 21-bed Sapphire Ward - which was only refurbished six months ago - as part of cost-cutting measures.

It comes after the PCT was revealed to be one of those struggling with its finances. Hospital managers have promised no redundancies and say the ward will be closed for February and March. But those working at the hospital still fear that, with fewer patients overall, their jobs are not safe.

One employee, who asked not to be named, said everyone was shocked when they first heard the news, and added: "But that is now turning to anger, at the way it was done by stealth.

"If this news hadn't come out when it did, when were they going to tell us? They are saying the closure is only temporary but people don't believe it."

Meetings are now planned between hospital staff and senior managers at the Ellesmere Port and Neston PCT to explain the plans.

Staff there now fear the decision to close the ward will cause bed-blocking.

The Ellesmere Port and Neston PCT said they had recently been over-spending on their budget for agency nurses and reviews showed that some patients had remained on the rehab ward for more than 100 days when they could have been moved to other care services.

A statement from the PCT said staff would be redeployed to other wards in the next two weeks and the situation monitored daily.

Bob Stamp, lead nurse, said: "I am satisfied that this initiative will not be detrimental to patient care - on the contrary,, our patients will benefit because they will get the care they need in the right place at the right time."